


Christmas with the Brays

by plumli



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, The Dawning (Destiny)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:28:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28419882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plumli/pseuds/plumli
Summary: At first you didn’t know what to say when Elsie suddenly asked you to come to the Bray Family’s first-ever post-collapse Dawning Dinner. It seems like something more...intimate...friends would do but other people you knew would be there so you hoped that would make it less awkward. Plus you were really curious about what rich people Dawning dinner was like.
Relationships: Ana Bray & Camrin Dumuzi & Rasputin, Ana Bray/Camrin Dumuzi, Banshee-44 & Clovis Bray, Elsie Bray/Guardian
Kudos: 20





	Christmas with the Brays

“Do you think he’ll like it?” You asked sheepishly, giving the box a shake while you look to your left at The Exo Stranger, then to your right at Ana Bray, Banshee-44 and Rasputin. Ana shrugs.

The Exo Stranger, or rather, Elsie gave an exasperated sigh. “Look, that bastard doesn’t enjoy anything. This is just a formality, Guardian.” 

At first you didn’t know what to say when Elsie suddenly asked you to come to the Bray Family’s first-ever post-collapse Dawning Dinner. It seems like something more...intimate...friends would do but other people you knew would be there so you hoped that would make it less awkward. Plus you were really curious about what rich people Dawning dinner was like and Elsie insisted she needed help to keep a watch on Banshee.

“Huh...it’s snowing earlier this year…” Banshee mutters. 

“Banshee, it’s December. Also we’re on Europa.” Ana said softly.

“Oh, right.” Banshee mutters.

“Ana, I don’t mind you bringing the Warmind, but I’m surprised you didn’t bring Camrin.” Elsie wondered.

“Oh yeah, well...turns out Europa is pretty dangerous for people without the Light or an Exo body. Plus I didn’t know how Clovis would react.”

“Ugh, that will have to be a mystery for another time. Well...shall we?” Elsie asked as she leaned over to buzz the console next to the door, they slid open with a pneumatic wheezing to reveal the final basement of the Braytech Exoscience facility on Europa. Unmissable was the big ol’ head of one Clovis Bray AI, and the heavy odour of freshly cooked meats and bread that washed over your nose. The otherwise industrial room had been lavishly decorated with trains of fake evergreen and plastic ornaments blasted with silver and golden sparkles. In front of the gigantuan head is a long table with five seats, with the Clovis Bray AI at the um...head...of the table.

A frame walked up to your group and bowed its head with a mechanical jerk. It gestures to the table and other frames sprung to life to pull back the chairs. You took the seat furthest left from the head and placed your box on the table. You folded your fingers together. The group stares at each other for a moment before Elsie gives a little cough. A mechanical whirling fills the room, “Artificial Intelligence Activated - Oh! Hmm...is it Christmas already? Good thing I programmed the Frames to decorate for this occasion the last time you came to visit. Before you forced me back to my slumber.” It side eyed Elsie.

“Actually it’s called the Dawning now, Clovis.” Ana says smiling as a frame began setting her plate.

“For the love of - they actually managed to take Christ out of Christmas?”

“I guess. A lot has happened.” Ana snatched a dinner roll out of a basket a frame was attempting to set.

“Wait...it’s the Dawning? I thought it was the Festival of the Lost. I forgot to bring something.” Banshee grunted, a hint of regret in his voice. 

“Oh do not fret. If you give me your body all would be forgiven!” The AI exclaimed. Elsie snapped her head towards the AI angrily before her vision was obscured by a ridiculously large turkey that a particularly squeaky frame set before her.

“Not on your life Clovis, or what remains of Clovis rather.” Elsie declared gesturing aggressively with her right arm. You roll a plastic container of butter in your right palm and wondered if instead you should have been warming up your fusion rifle.

“It was just a joke. I and Banshee-44 have actually been in regular correspondence and found out we had much in common!” The AI replied indignantly.

“Turns out we both like guns.” Banshee shrugged. “Who knew…” He looked around. “We’re missing a seat aren’t we?”

Your ghost appeared “Oh, don’t worry about me I don’t eat.” 

Ana Bray’s ghost, Jinju, likewise appeared. “I don’t think he’s talking about you.” She said. 

The entire table turned towards Banshee. “Are you sure you don’t want a seat?” Banshee looked concerningly to his right, seemingly at nothing. The only thing there was a frame considerably out of earshot of him on patrol. “Well if you insist. Kinda awkward of you to just stand there.”

“Banshee, never mind the frames.” Jinju said before disappearing, your ghost following.

Banshee turned to Rasputin. “He takes after you.” Rasputin made a distorted grunt that was a mixture of confusion and indignation.

“I see you have brought your little pet, Ana.” Clovis said. Rasputin groaned loudly in protest at being called a pet. “Can you do one of your little tricks for Elsie’s guest? Maybe the one with the Warsat.” Rasputin smashed his fist against the table causing butternut squash soup to splash into your wine glass. He growled something incomprehensible as you signal to the frame for a new glass. “Normally we don’t allow pets at the table but seeing as the errand boy is here too…” You repressed your groan in your throat, any hopes of being an invisible presence here to simply enjoy pot roast is gone.

“The Guardian is the hero of Europa and has slain a Vex god in the Black Garden!” Elsie stood up to protest. “And a hive one on Enceladus! Or Saturn...I sometimes forget which timeline I’m in.” 

“Look, this is a family dinner, I don’t belong, and if you want I could just grab some of this fruit salad and just lea-” You attempt to get up, but Elsie places her hand on your head and pushes you back down into your seat. Her Exo eyes burned into you as if to say you are not dipping out of this.

“No. You deserve his respect.” Her voice had a grittiness you did not even know Exos could make. You had the feeling it was more important for her that Clovis appreciated your accolades than it was for you, but you just nodded slowly. You only wanted to finish the dinner without conflict. You bit down on your thoughts and told yourself to do it for the fruit salad, it has some sort of juicy zesty yellow trapezoidal fruit in it you couldn’t live without.

“Yes, yes, you are dating the help. Classic rebellious teenager behavior.” If Elsie had a mouth it would be left hanging, she was not dating the Guardian! She just wanted your support! As a friend. As allies in the fight against the Darkness and Entropy itself! The head seemed to recognize her fury for a moment. It cleared its throat, “it’s quite alright, here at Braytech we treat even the most junior of custodians with respect at the company Christmas dinner! Now let’s see, it’s time we carve the turkey.” 

A frame took its place in front of the head and began carving the turkey. “Don’t give Ana any dark meat, unlike Elsie she can still gain weight.” A half eaten dinner roll dropped out of Ana’s mouth, a red glow intensified inside Rasputin’s head. “I know you still think you're a child Ana, but you can’t just scarf down three people’s worth of food anymore. You need to start watching your weight so you don’t end up fat like your mother.” 

Elsie dropped her silverware. Luckily before your laugh escaped, you choked on a piece of hot sweet potato. Your cough filled the silent room as Elsie simmered next to you with clenched fists, resisting the urge to flip the table.

Banshee offered a potato to the air on his right while a frame hands the stunned Ana two slices of turkey breast, sans gravy. 

“Clovis, you are a pompous bastard!” Elsie blurted out unable to hold it in.

“Young lady! Don’t use that language at this table!”

Elsie stomped her left foot on the table and used it to pull herself up onto it. You looked up in horror as she stomps the escargot and broccolini quiche you haven’t tried yet out of existence. “We tried to have one nice family dinner with you, yet you insist on being so completely -” Elsie gives a guttural howl “INSUFFERABLE! I should end your existence now!”

“Elsie, sit down, please, it’s alright. It’s not like he can stop me” Ana said, swallowing her pride, and Rasputin’s plate.

“Yes Elizabeth. Sit down. Please.” The head added on smuggly. You swore you could see steam rising out of her robotic head. You think to yourself maybe it would be better to just unplug the massive head before another one of these delicious Golden Age dishes goes the way of the quiche.

Clovis’ huge eyes scanned over to you, “What’s that?”

You pick up the box. “Oh this? I um...got you a gift, since it’s the Dawning and all?”

“Oh really? Com’on then, let’s see it.” A frame lifted the box out of your hands and brought it over to Clovis before unwrapping it and pulling out a glossy hardcover book for khim to examine.

“I figured since you were stuck down here, you might like some reading, to pass the time, and catch up.” You brace for disappointment, smiling as broadly as you could, in hopes Clovis would get the hint and pretend to like it.

“Oh my, ‘Kitbash: Tales of Weapons and Human Ingenuity in the Dark Ages’!” The frame flipped through the pages of the book, featuring high definition photos of various weapons, scans of schematics, and photos of adapted Fallen tech. “Intriguing!”

Elsie stepped off the table and squated next to you. “You gave him weapons schematics?” She whispered aggressively to you. 

“I thought it was kinda boring down here.” You whispered back. 

“Banshee told me that many Guardians fashion their own weapons. Is this true?” Clovis said, eyes glued onto the pages.

You looked at Banshee and then at Clovis. “Yeah, I guess. The field gets messy that weapons craft and maintenance is a necessary skill. I often get in a situation where I don’t have a lot of solid cover, I like to mod my auto’s magazine size so I don’t have to reload as often. My true passion is restoring old weapons though. My way of respecting the Masters.”

“Do you ever make your own from scratch?”

“Do I?!” You perk up. You clapped your hand on Banshee’s shoulder. “Honestly Banshee helps me with a lot of this stuff. He, and I guess, you by extension taught me everything I know!”

“Is that so?” Clovis looked at you enthusiastically.

“Let me show you this shotgun I made, or will make in the future, someone sorta kinda traveled back in time to give this to me, and boy is she a beaut!” 

“Let’s finish dinner first before we start showing off guns, Guardian.” Elsie said. Even though she had no mouth, it looked like she was smiling. She placed her hand gently on yours and looked over to Ana, “I think Ana and Rasputin have been working on restoring some of our facilities.” 

“Umahhumph” Ana breathed through a mouth full of potatoes and lamb dripping with mint sauce. Rasputin leaned back, arms crossed and proudly squealed a series of incomprehensible sounds before nodding to Ana. “Awww, Red! It was just a simple optimization of command tools.”

“That is really ingenious! As expected from a Bray!” Clovis beamed.

“Well it wasn’t all me, Big Red and Camrin helped me quite a lot.” Ana said earnestly before her face dropped. She mentioned Camrin.

“Camrin? I don’t think I recall a Camrin.” Clovis asked.

“She’s um...my girlfriend.”

“Oh my, a girlfriend?” Clovis sounded shocked. “It seems like just yesterday you were an insolent screaming child. I really have missed a lot.” The head seemed somewhat, contemplative. “You should bring her next time.”

“Yeah...next time.” Ana said cautiously looking at Elsie. “What have you been up to Elsie?”

You feel a wave of relief as Elsie and Ana begin to regale the AI with tales of their adventures and discoveries. The AI seemed somewhat excited to hear news of the outside world. Finally you can concentrate on how amazing this pomefig sauce is on the ham.

“I don’t really have time to explain it in its entirety, but it basically fires bullets from the same weapon in another dimension.” Elsie said proudly as she finished off her raspberry jello topped with low-fat vegan whipping cream.

“As expected from our grandchildren!” The AI proclaimed. Banshee nodded in agreement. 

“And great grandchildren of course.” Banshee gestured to his invisible guest to the right. The frame had long since moved to the next patrol position.

“Of course...” The AI offered, knowing better than trying to get into the mind of Banshee-44.

“Well it’s getting late. We should get going.” Elsie said. She got up and placed her hand on the big head. “We will see you next year.” The head looked down at her contemplatively. 

“Right.”

“Or maybe, we should do this again. Sooner. How does the Revel - I mean Easter brunch sound?”

A mechanical whirling filled the room. “Oh! If you insist Elizabeth! I’ll have the frames whip up some of that excellent kiwicumber chocolate mousse cake your mother was so good at making. It won’t be as good as the original but it will be something.”

“Yeah, let’s do that Clovis.” Elsie breathed calmly. After the AI declared preparations complete, Elsie powered it down and the party left the frames to their dishwashing. As they left the facility Elsie looked back mournfully. “I wish I didn’t have to put him to sleep each time, but I think deep inside, somewhere, he understands I can’t leave him operational all the time. It’s too dangerous.”

Banshee turns her around and gives her a hug. “I know deep inside he understands, he just sometimes forgets.”

Ana groans clutching her stomach. “Jinju, be gentle on the transmat. I ate too much.” Jinju twirled in the air for a moment and floated towards you.

“It was a good thing Elsie brought you! Dinner went a lot smoother than expected. Now, let’s get Camrin her leftovers!” Jinju chirped.

Banshee addressed Rasputin who was carrying some Golden Age tupperware filled with turkey, side dishes, pies and sauces. “I’m glad you brought your boy. He’s quiet, but a good boy.” Rasputin tilted his head and let out an inquisitive screech.

Ana put her arms around Rasputin’s shoulders and pulled him in. “Yeah, good boy, woof woof?” Rasputin objected and Ana gave a roaring laugh before they transmitted away waving.

“I guess you’re with me.” You say to Banshee as Ghost readies the transmat. “Thanks for inviting me Elsie. Clovis can cook a really mean meal, or at least his frames could.”

“He wasn’t all bad, at least when we were still children. It was nice, it reminded me of old times. Before dad passed away, before he got obsessed, before -” She gestured at her body “this. We had good memories.”

“I wish I could remember those.” Banshee says quietly. “It’s probably better I don’t though.”

“It’s ok, we can make new ones. Isn’t that right Guardian?”

You nod in agreement and smile.


End file.
